Sunday, November 20, 1977

The second single from the Boomtown Rats was all about Mary Preece the object of Geldof's teenage affections....

"Her name was actually Mary Preece. We used to hang out in a coffee bar and record shop in Dun Laoghaire called Murray's. After school, she'd come down and she'd have rolled up her skirt and she had legs for days. She was drop dead beautiful and I just wanted her so much and knew that I'd never be able to get her. Actually, I did "get off with her" - to use the parlance of the day - at the Killiney Tennis Club Dance. It was deeply passionate in a grabby, feely way. Anyway, Mary subsequently became the personal assistant to the Irish Prime Minister and lives beside my father, bizarrely enough. She's got two or three kids. But God, she was a major babe." - Geldof

Did he get off with her? Methinks not!"Yeah, she became the PR to the Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern. Us Dun Laoghaire kids go far! We played in Vicar Street in Dublin a couple of years ago, and there she was: still gorgeous and still wouldn't shag me. She's married, but I didn't feel that should be an impediment. I mean, I'm an international rock star, for fuck's sake!" - Geldof

Poor Mary, no matter what she does she'll always be known as a teenage temptress...

And yet another Mary was living it up last week, namely Mary Preece, a senior civil servant in the Department of the Taoiseach.Magnificent Mary did the opening honours at the special retirement bash in Dublin Castle last Friday for Walter Kirwan - deputy secretary of the Department of the Taoiseach for the last 30 years.Six hundred people turned up to wish Walter well, among them Bertie, Garret, John Hume and the aforementioned sex-bomb Mary.For those of you too old to remember, Mary was, of course, the inspiration behind Bob Geldof's famous Mary of the Fourth Form hit for the Boomtown Rats in 1977 - Irish Independent - Sunday July 18th 2004Sittin' in the front rowMary of the fourth formTurnin' all the boys downShe's turnin' all their heads aroundHitchin' up her short skirtStretchin' out her long legsPullin' up her stockingsShe's combing out her black hairStarin' at the teacherOpenin' her lips wideShiftin' in her seat. Yeah, She slowly moves her hips asideBut in the middle of the nightShe wakes her Mom to turn out the lightHer make-up's on and her jeans are skin tightAnd she's heading to the Pillar BarJohnnie looks alright tonight she thinksHe gives her a smoke and he buys her a drinkHe shoots a frame and they head off into the night.Teacher's losing controlThankfully the bell ringsMary's left all aloneWith no one but the teacherShe quickly drops her pencilAnd slowly bends to get itTeacher is a natural manHis hand moves out to touch herShe straightens and looks around, yeahShe laughs and leaves the room, yeahHeartbreak for the teacherSweet dreams for young MaryBut in the middle of the nightShe wakes her Dad to turn out the lightHer make-up's on and her jeans are skin tightAnd she's headed to the Pillar BarJohnnie looks great tonight, she thinksHe gives her a smoke and he buys her a drinkShoots a frame and they head off into the night.